Badge.



' Patentld Ian. I5, I90I. J. w. RANKIN.

BADGE.

"Appnmion med my 1o, woo.;

(lo Modal.)

Miren Tiaras i PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES W. RANKN, OF OYNTHIANA, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO `"WILLIAM D. TRIMNELL, OF SAME PLACE.

BADGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 666,024, dated January 15, 1901.

Application led May 10| 1900. Serial No. 16,215. (No model.)

T0 @ZZ wir/0m, t may concern: 4

Beit known that I, JAMES W. RANKIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oynthiana, in the county of Harrison and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Badges; and l do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates .to the class of metal personal wear generally known as badges.

and worn as insignia of authority or to denote membership of a particular confraternity, organization, society, and the like or purely for ornamentation. It is desirable to combine with this class of articles an emblem which is normally concealed and adapted to be projected into View by a spring when released, said emblem consisting of either a plate of determinate design or a plate bearing an inscription, representation, or the like, according to the particular use and purpose for which lthe badge is designed. The badge may have an interrogatory clause inscribed thereon and the emblem bear an answer thereto7 or companion and complementary representations may appear on both the badge and the movable emblem or plate. The badge is admirably adapted for campaign and advertising purposes, as matters and representations can be applied to the plate and suddenly projected into View, thereby creating startling effects and affording much amusement.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof, and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result, reference is to be had to the appended description and drawings hereto attached. While the essential and characteristic features of the invention are necessarily suscep tible of modification, still the preferred em- 'bodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 'l is a front view of a badge embodyling the invention, the dotted lines showing 5o the emblem projected. Fig. 2 is a rear view of the badge. Fig. 3 is a rear perspective view of the badge, showing the emblem projected. Fig. 4. is a detail section of the badge about on the line X X of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the emblem. Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the pin-catch guide and spring-retainer for holding the parts in place.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings Vby the same reference characters.

The body l of the badge may be of any design, shape, and configuration, and, as shown, is in the form of a button and is provided at its rear side with a rentrant edge portion 2 to present a finished appearance and provide means for holding the emblem and parts cooperating therewith in place. The emblem 3 is preferably a plate suitably adorned and shaped according to the caprice of the designer and is mounted so as to slide behind the body of the badge, so as to be normally concealed from view. This plate may be provided With any suitable inscription or representation, which is brought into view when the emblem is projected. Ears 4t are pressed from the body of the emblem or plate 3 and are apertured to receive a guide 5, upon which it is slidingly mounted. A side portion at the inner end of the plate is separated by means of a slit from the body portion and is bent inward to provide a spring-tongue 6, which bears against the inner or rear side of the body l, for a purpose presently to be eX- plained. The inner end of the plate 3 at the opposite side is bent, as shown at 7, to provide a lip for engagement with the notch 8 of a spring-catch 9. The spring-tongue serves to hold the lip 7 in engagement with the catch 9 and to cause it to engage with the notch 8 9o IOO the plate or emblem when pressure is brought to bear upon the badge. A coil-spring 12 is mounted upon the guide 5 and serves to project the emblem or plate 3 when released from the catch 9.

The pin 13 for securing the badge tothe clothing preferably extends across the guide 5 and catch 9 and is in a different plane therefrom, so as not to interfere with the free movements of the plate 3 and catch 9. The spring-retainer 14, as shown, is about threefourths of a circle and engages with the recurved edge portion 2 of 'the body of the badge by a spring action. The spring-retainer 14, pin 13, catch 9, guide 5, and pressure-bar 1l are integral parts of a single wire bent into the form substantially as shown. The guide 5 and catch 9 are connected at the end remote from the presser-bar 11, as shown at 15, and the pin 13 is thrown outward from the plane of the parts 14, 5, and 9 by the offset portions 16. It is to be understood that the spring-retainer may be of such shape conformable to the design of the badge as to secure the emblem and adjunctive parts to the badge without extraneous fastenings.

When the component parts of the badge are properly assembled, the plate or emblem 3 is pressed inward and normally concealed by the body of the badge, and is held in this position by the notch 8 and lip 3. When it is required to expose the emblem, the button or badge is pressed upon to effect. a release of the catch, when the spring 12, being liberated,y

expands and projects the emblem beyond the badge, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 1, thereby bringing to view the inscription, picture, or other matter imprinted thereon.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. In combination with a badge, a guide, a spring-actuated catch disposed at one side of and parallel with the guide, an emblem slidingly mounted on the guide and catch and held in a Withdrawn position in the rear of the badge by the said catch, and a spring for projecting the emblem into View when released, substantially as described.

2. In combination With a badge and a centrally-disposed guide, an emblem slidingly mounted upon the said guide and provided at one side with a spring-tongue and at the opposite side with a lip, a catch to engage lWith the said lip and hold the emblem concealed in rear of the badge, and a spring mounted upon the said guide and adapted to project the emblem into view when released from the said catch, substantially as set forth.

3. In combination with a badge having an inturned portion, and a slidingly-mounted emblem, a single Wire bent to provide a retainer between its ends to engage by a spring action with the inturned portion of the badge, and having an end portion bent inward, thence outward to form a guide and a catch in parallel relation, vand having the opposite end portion bent about ata right angle to the guide and catch to form an attachingpin, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES W. RANKIN.

Witnesses:

J. STANLEY WEBSTER, CHESTER M. JEWETT. 

